1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electronic game-based learning system. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to a multiplayer online learning system.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The technological revolution over the past two decades has broadened the arena for current teaching strategies. In many situations, however, students today still encounter the same outdated instructional strategies that their parents and grandparents experienced.
According to a study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2005, children, ages 8 to 18, spend more time (44.5 hours per week) in front of computer, television, and game screens than any other activity in their lives except sleeping. As such, the development of a virtual environment(s) for learning is gaining momentum within the learning community.
Virtual reality systems are providing students with a learning experience “hidden” within a video game façade. For example, Harvard University, with funding from the National Science Foundation, has developed an interactive computer simulation system to provide scientific inquiry and 21st century skills. The computer simulation system feels like a videogame to the student, but contains content developed from the National Science Education Standards, National Educational Technology Standards, and the 21st Century Skills. In River City, students virtually travel back in time and use 21st century skills and technology to address 19th century problems. Students work in small research teams and use technology to form and test hypotheses, develop controlled experiments to test the hypothesis, and make recommendations all in an online environment(s).
There are several drawbacks in River City. For example, the instructor has little or no direct interaction with students within the game environment. Students are asked to provide answers to content based questions. As such, instructor interaction is rarely needed if at all. Additionally, River City does not provide for tool sets within the environment. For example, students do not have access to spreadsheets, word processing, and/or other similar applications within the River City environment.